Mamba #5

12/10/13

My Dad has been asking me to do a Steve Blake article for a while now, and since he’s been playing so well it only makes sense that I grant my Dad’s wish.

When we acquired Steve Nash just a year ago I assumed he was the Steve that would be running the show. However, it’s been Steve Blake that has thrived in Mike D’antoni’s system and has almost made Laker fans forget Mr. Nash.

I can’t lie - before Mike D’antoni was hired I was ready to say goodbye to Blake. He struggled with his shot, staying healthy and just didn’t look like the player he was with other teams. Yet, I can say without a doubt that Steve Blake has been the Lakers' most consistent player in this early season. With injuries to Jordan Farmar and Steve Nash, the Lakers will have to lean on Blake to once again control the flow of the game.

We knew a few things about this team coming into the season: we knew that Kobe was hurt, we knew that Steve Nash was old (and I didn’t think his age would show so soon), and we knew the Lakers had a roster with a lot to prove. What none of us expected was for Steve Blake to become the leader of the team while Kobe was on the mend. I wrote earlier about how I expected Pau to carry the team until Kobe returned, but it’s been the Blake Mamba(as RJ calls him) that’s had the bigger impact. Not only is he shooting the ball well, but he’s getting everyone involved and he’s the calming influence on a team whose foot is always on the gas petal. Due to his clutch play (see Houston game winner) under pressure and now playing through injury (hyper-extended elbow) I’ve decided to call him Mamba #5. Over the last ten games Blake is averaging almost a double double (10.8 pts and 9.8 ast). Those numbers are slightly less than what Nash put up his last season in Phoenix (12.5 pts and 10.7 ast). I love the numbers but I have to wonder if this can continue once Kobe returns?

I knew I had to get a Steve Blake article done simply because I don’t expect him to continue to play at borderline All-Star level. It’s not because I don’t think he’s capable of continuing to play at such a high level...it’s because the Blake Mamba will have to make way for the Black Mamba.

Kobe has never done well playing without the ball in his hands, and after 17 years I don’t expect a Mamba to change his spots...scales... you get what I mean!

The return of Kobe also means the return of the old Steve Blake, but if Kobe can find a way to play off the ball a little more, Blake can still have a tremendous impact. Blake has been excellent in the Pick and Roll and if he and Kobe could develop a two man game, it could be what Laker fans envisioned when Nash was acquired. Somehow I know this won’t be the case. As Kobe works his way back into shape, not only will the chemistry change but so will roles. Players like Xavier Henry, Wesley Johnson and Steve Blake who are playing with an extreme amount of confidence will have to adjust their games, and as the past has shown us that probably isn’t a good thing. Still, for all the changes that are to come, I wanted to take the time to give props when props are deserved. Steve Blake may not be the long term answer at point guard, but right now he’s playing as well as he ever has. His new nicknames are a testament to that.